Easton family receives a new lease on life

Habitat for Humanity home is blessing for mother, two children.

October 20, 2002|By Joe Nixon Of The Morning Call

Vivian Irizarry won't officially move in for another week, but her new home was filled with people Saturday afternoon for good reason.

It was dedication day for home No. 38 for Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley, a celebration of the completion of the house at 513 James St. in Easton, a place that will be home to Irizarry and her two children, Luis Montero, 13, and Shamara Gonzales, 9.

Irizarry, who works for A&H Sportswear in Easton, stroked her daughter's hair as Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Lory Anderson started off the short dedication program during which gifts, including house plants, were presented. Irizarry, a shy, soft-spoken native of Puerto Rico, had her son read a statement telling everyone how she felt.

"Today is a very special day for me and my family," she said. "Today, my dreams have finally become a reality. Today is the beginning of a new phase in my life. I now get a new start with a better quality of life full of new projects."

The three-bedroom twin home will be a place where all three can live "without the fear of ever being homeless," Irizarry said.

"Now we have a house and we don't have to live in the projects anymore," Shamara said. The family lives in public housing on Elm Street in Easton.

According to Habitat for Humanity, Irizarry saw the roofs being raised on the homes last year and immediately contacted the group about owning one of the units.

Habitat homeowners are required to invest at least 500 hours of work in the building or renovation of the home they'll occupy. For Irizarry, that meant doing a lot of things, including painting. The homes are sold at cost and no-interest mortgages are paid back to the group, which uses the money for additional renovations or new construction.

Irizarry's home is a short distance from property where Habitat hopes to build three single-family homes. However, a sinkhole is threatening completion of that phase.

Habitat is looking at cost estimates to study the magnitude of the sinkhole. Anderson has said repairs could cost up to $190,000.

Anderson said although the six homes either finished or under construction on James Street may look similar, each is unique. "Each has its own flavor," she said. "Each family is different."